Regenerator structure



July 28, 1959 P. A. WELLER REGENERATOR STRUCTURE Filed Jun 12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FlG.-2

P INVENTOR. mdwtoz (0 P. A. WELLER .REGENERATOR STRUCTURE July 28, 1959 Sheet-Sheet 2 Filed June 12, 19 53 FIG.3

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P INVENTOR. I 9 @1202 Idem BY United States Patent REGENERATOR'STRUCTURE Peter Anthony Weller, Syracuse, N.Y., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 12, 1953, Serial No. 361,278

8 Claims. (Cl. 257-6) The present invention satisfactorily solves this problem by forming the housing of a plurality of separate boxes. While each of these boxes is subject to the varied temperature, the stress does not have as much effect on each box as it would if the inner and outer walls of the housing were continuous.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a regenerator housing that may be passed continuously through two fluid streams of large difference in temperatures without the creation of large stresses in the housing. An object of the inventionis to provide a regenerator housing that is formed of a plurality of individual compartments or chambers.

Another object is to provide a regenerator housing whose parts will maintain the desired relation while passing continuously through two fluid streams of large temperature difierentials.

A further object is to provide a seal for a regenerator housing that will prevent the leakage of high pressure fluid between chambers of the housing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a unitary assembly for a regenerator housing.

A still further object is to provide a regenerator housing that is easier to assemble and less expensive to manufacture than present regenerator housings. Other objects of my invention will be readily perceived by the following description. V This invention relates to a regenerator housing including two circular plates having openings therein, a plurality of open-ended boxes disposed between the plates to provide passages between the openings, matrix members disposed in each of the passages, and means connecting the plates to form a unitary assembly.

The attached drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which Figure l is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the regenerator housing;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of one of the chambers of the regenerator housing;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a modification of the invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of one of the chambers of the housing shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an isometric view of one of the boxes which form the individual chambers of the modified invention.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figures 2,896,920 Patented July 28, 1959 1 and 2, a portion of a regenerator housing 2 is shown. This housing includes circular plates 3 and 4 having openings 5 and 6 therein. Radial grooves or slots 7 are provided in each of the plates 3 and 4 between the openings. A plurality of open-ended boxes 3 are disposed between the circular plates 3 and 4.

The boxes 8 are formed preferably by welding or brazing four sheets of metal together. Two of these sheets, designated by the reference number 9, are longer than the other two sheets 10. One end of each of the short sheets 10 is preferably tapered, as shown at. 10, to provide the box with one opening of the same size as the openings in the circular plates. The reason for making the sheets 9 longer than the sheets 10 is to permit the insertion of the sheets in the radial grooves 7 so that the boxes 8 will be aligned with the openings 5 and 6 to provide passages through the housing. While the sheets 10 are shown terminating at the edge of the opening 5, it will be understood that these sheets, if desired, may be provided with a portion of metal that would be bent back parallel to the plate 3 to provide a better seal.

To prevent leakage between the ends of the boxes and the grooves, a gasket 9' is disposed in each radial groove 7. In addition to preventing high pressure fluid from entering the low pressure fluid stream, the gasket also permits some thermal expansion of the boxes due to the resilience of the gaskets.

Matrix members 11 and 12 are supported within each chamber 14, which is formed in each box 8 between the circular plates 3 and 4. These matrix members are adapted to absorb heat when passing through the stream of high temperature fluid and to transfer the absorbed heat when passing through the stream of low temperature fluid.

' This entire assembly preferably is held together by tie rods 15 and turnbuckles 16 though other suitable means may be employed, if desired. Each tie rod is connected to the circular plate 3 and the circular plate 4. Turnbuckle 16 serves the purpose of permitting the desired adjusting of the tension in the tie rods and the distance between the two plates.

Referring to the modification disclosed in Figures 3 to 5, there is shown a regenerator housing 22. This housing includes circular plates 23 and 24. Circular plate 23. has a plurality of circumferential spaced openings 25' therein. Similarly, circular plate 24 has a'plurality of circumferential spaced openings 26. In one wall of each of the plates 23 and 24 are disposed a plurality of radial grooves 27 joined by an inner concentric groove 28 and an outer concentric groove 29.

To provide communication between the openings 25 and 26, a plurality of boxes 30 are disposed therebetween. Each box 30 is formed from a single sheet of metal 30'. This sheet is bent so that a member with a trapezoidal cross-section results when the two ends of the sheet are welded together, as shown in Figure 5.

The ends of the boxes 30 are adapted to fit into the radial grooves 27 and the concentric grooves 28 and 29 in the plates 23 and 24. In order that each box will fit into the grooves the weld mus t be smooth ground at each end as more clearly shown in Figure 5.

Means must be provided between the ends of the boxes and the grooves in the circular plates in order to prevent leakage from the high pressure fluid stream to the low pressure fluid stream. A gasket 29, which will fit into the radial and concentric grooves of the circular plate, is disposed in each plate prior to the mounting of the boxes in the grooves. While it is preferred that the gasket be continuous, the gasket may be be formed of a plurality of strips if desired. These gaskets not only serve the purpose of providing a pressure tight seal but also permit some thermal expansion of the boxes due to the resilience of the gaskets. 4

Matrix members 31 and 32 are supported within each chamber 33, which is formed in each box 30 between the circular plates 23 and 24. These matrix members are adapted to absorb heat when passing through the stream of high temperature fiuid and to transfer the absorbed heat when passing through the stream of low temperature fluid.

This entire assembly preferably is held together by tierods 34 and turnbuckles 35 though other suitable means may be employed, if desired. Each tie rod is connected to the circular plate 23 and the circular plate 24. The turnbuckle 35 serves the purpose of permitting the desired adjusting of the tension in the tie rods and the distance between the two plates.

It will be understood that either of these housings would be disposed within a regenerator casing. Preferably, the housing will be rotated by a suitable means past a stationary duct supplying high pressure fluid and then past a stationary duct supplying low pressure fluid. However, thehousing could be stationary while the ducts are rotated, if desired. One method of rotating the regenerator housing is disclosed in the copending application of W. S. Misener, Serial No. 361,215, filed June 12, 1953, now abandoned.

As previously stated, large temperature differences exist between the two fluid streams passing through the regenerator housing. These large difierences in temperatures tend to create undue stresses so that it is diflicult to maintain the proper relationship between the parts of the regenerator housing. My invention has the advantage of permitting abrupt temperature changes and gradients in the various parts without the creation of large stresses while maintaining the desired relation between the regenerator housing parts.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that my invention is not limited thereto since it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A regenerator housing including two circular plates having openings therein, each plate having a plurality of grooves in one wall, a plurality of conduit members adapted to engage the grooves of the two plates to form a. plurality of chambers, each chamber containing a matrix member, said grooves being disposed to permit said conduit members to align the chambers with the openings in the plates, and meansconnecting the plates to hold the housing in a unitary assembly.

2. A regenerator housing including two circular plates having openings therein, a plurality of conduit members having individual ,walls being disposed between the plates, said plates having means to align the members with the plate openings to provide passages therebetween, a matrix member disposed within each of the conduit members, means connecting the plates to form a unitary 4 assembly, and said aligning means including a plurality of radial grooves connected by concentric circumferential grooves located in the circular plates.

3. A regenerator housing according to claim 2 in which a gasket is disposed within the grooves to provide a seal.

4. A regenerator housing including two circular plates having openings therein, a plurality of conduit members having individual Walls disposed between the plates to provide passages between the openings of the plates, said plates having radialand circumferential grooves therein to engage and align the conduit members with the openings, sealing means disposed in the grooves between the ends of the conduit members and the plates to prevent fluid leakage therefrom, a matrix member in each concluit members, and means connectingthe plates to form a unitary assembly.

5. A regenerator housing including two circular plates 7 having a plurality of openings therein, said plates having radial. grooves therein between the openings, said plates also having circumferential grooves connecting said radial grooves, conduit members disposed between the plates and engaging the grooves to provide passages between the openings, heat transfer material disposed in the passages, and means connecting the plates to form a unitary assembly.

6. A regenerator housing including two circular plates having a plurality of openings therein, radial grooves'disposed in the plates between the openings, circumferential 1 groovm disposed in the plates connecting said radial grooves, conduits disposed between the plates, said conduits being trapezoidal in cross-section, and having their nonparallel sides of greater length than the other two sides to permit their insertion in the radial grooves, and means connecting the plates to form a unitary assembly.

7. A regenerator housing according to claim 6 in which the two shorter sides of each conduit taper toward each other to form a smaller opening at one end than at the other.

8. A' regenerator housing according to claim 7 in which the connecting means includes a tie rod connected to the plates and a turnbuckle.

References Cited in the file-of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

